Trip Report: Off Piste Nordic Ski Tour: Exploratory/Uintas
|
Off Piste Nordic Ski Tour: Exploratory/Uintas By Kathleen Waller |
||
| SKI | 12/22/2025 | NTD |
| This activity was open to all snow modalities. Mike B was on Nordic with edged skis. Sam Z was on a wider backcountry Nordic setup and probably the best choice for the terrain (able to efficiently move on the flats but also able to make some downhill turns). Kathleen was on AT with skins and also got a some low angle turns. Gail was on snowshoes and did a great job keeping pace with the group. We began the tour with a departure check including reviewing the weather and avalanche forecast. We decided all terrain at or above 30 degrees or in run out zones was closed for the day due to orange/considerable on all aspects at our elevation. We choose to hike along Duchesne Ridge Road with no exposure to avalanche terrain. Some collapsing in meadows confirmed the presence on a PWL underfoot. We hiked with no set destination but agreed on a 1:30 pm turn-around time to give us an hour buffer back to the car before the early sunset. We stopped for lunch with an amazing view of surrounding peaks and Heart Lake below the ridge. On the return, Gail and Mike snapped a few photos of Sam and Kathleen getting some soft snow turns on a short <20 degree slope. The weather was optimal with enough clouds to provide the perfect amount of shade and a light breeze to keep us cool. Views were incredible with more prominent peaks around us than I could name. Our distance was 5.5 miles round trip. Three of us drove to The Notch in Samak after the tour. We enjoyed the day so much that all of us available agreed to return to the area the next day. |
||
| View Photo Album |
||